History of waltz
Colorful flowing ball gowns! Tails! Weddings! Beautiful music! Strong melodies!
Waltz: from the old German word walzen to roll, turn, or to glide.
Waltz: a ballroom dance in 3/4 time with strong accent on the first beat and a basic
pattern of step-step-close.
Waltz: to move or glide in a lively or conspicuous manner (to advance easily and
successfully).
Waltz: a dance born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the alpine region of Austria. As
early as the seventeenth century, waltzes were played in the ballrooms of the Hapsburg
court.
The weller, or turning dances, were danced by peasants in Austria and Bavaria even
before that time. Many of the familiar waltz tunes can be traced back to simple peasant
yodeling melodies.
During the middle of the eighteenth century, the allemande form of the waltz was very
popular in France. Originally danced as one of the figures in the contredanse, with arms
intertwining at shoulder level, it soon became an independent dance and the close-hold
was introduced.
By the end of the eighteenth century, this old Austrian peasant dance
had been accepted by high society, and three-quarter rhythm was
here to stay.
However popular the waltz, opposition was not lacking. Dancing
masters saw the waltz as a threat to the profession. The basic steps of
the waltz could be learned in relatively short time, whereas, the minuet
and other court dances required considerable practice, not only to
learn the many complex figures, but also to develop suitable postures
and deportment.
The waltz was also criticized on moral grounds by those opposed to
its closer hold and rapid turning movements. Religious leaders almost
unanimously regarded it as vulgar and sinful.
Continental court circles held out obstinately against the waltz. In
England, (a land of strict morals), the waltz was accepted even more
slowly.
In July of 1816, the waltz was included in a ball given in London by the
Prince Regent. A blistering editorial in The Times a few days later
stated:
"We remarked with pain that the indecent foreign dance called the
Waltz was introduced (we believe for the first time) at the English court
on Friday last ... it is quite sufficient to cast one's eyes on the
voluptuous intertwining of the limbs and close compressure on the
bodies in their dance, to see that it is indeed far removed from the
modest reserve which has hitherto been considered distinctive of
English females.
So long as this obscene display was confined to prostitutes and
adulteresses, we did not think it deserving of notice; but now that it is
attempted to be forced on the respectable classes of society by the
civil examples of their superiors, we feel it a duty to warn every parent
against exposing his daughter to so fatal a contagion."
The Times of London, 16th July 1816
Even as late as 1866 an article in the English magazine Belgravia
stated:
"We who go forth of nights and see without the slightest discomposure
our sister and our wife seized on by a strange man and subjected to
violent embraces and canterings round a small-sized apartment - the
only apparent excuse for such treatment being that is done to the
sound of music - can scarcely realize the horror which greeted the
introduction of this wicked dance."
Belgravia, 1866
A lot of the disapproval was voiced by the older generation, but
seldom mentioned is the fact the reigning Queen (Victoria) was a keen
and expert ballroom dancer with a special love of the waltz!
But as history repeats itself over and over again, the antagonism only
served to increase the popularity of the waltz. The bourgeoisie took it
up enthusiastically immediately after the French revolution. Paris
alone had nearly seven hundred dance halls!
A German traveler to Paris in 1804 stated, "This love for the waltz and
this adoption of the German dance is quite new and has become one
of the vulgar fashions since the war, like smoking."
Reportedly, the first time the waltz was danced in the United States
was in Boston in 1834. Lorenzo Papanti, a Boston dancing master,
gave an exhibition in Mrs. Otis' Beacon Hill mansion.
Social leaders were aghast at what they called "an indecorous
exhibition." By the middle of the nineteenth century, the waltz was
firmly established in United States society.
Music plays an important role in dance, and every dance is dependent
upon the availability of the appropriate music. The waltz was given a
tremendous boost around 1830 by two great Austrian composers -
Franz Lanner and Johann Strauss.
These two composers were by far the most popular during the
nineteenth century: they set the standard for the Viennese Waltz, (a
very fast version of the waltz).
By 1900, a typical dance program was three quarter waltzes and one
quarter all other dances combined.
Around the close of the nineteenth century, two modifications of the
waltz were developed.
The first was the Boston, a slower waltz with long gliding steps.
Although the Boston disappeared with the first world war, it did
stimulate development of the English or International style which
continues today.
The second was the hesitation, which involves taking one step to
three beats of the measure. Hesitation steps are still widely used in
today's waltz.
Fortunately, the violent opposition faded out and the Waltz weathered
an exciting and varied career, emerging today in two accepted forms,
both reflecting the main characteristics of the dance. They are known
as the Modern Waltz and the Viennese (Quick) Waltz.
Cha-cha
Cha Cha originated in Cuba and evolved from a slow version of Mambo called
“Triple Mambo” or Mambo with guiro rhythm. This musical rhythm inspired dancers
to dance a hip syncopation to the forward and back breaks of a mambo which late
evolved to a triple step.
Mambo evolved from a fusion of danzon, son and American jazz. Danzon has
its origins from Europe (chamber music) and African/Haitian drum rhythms. Enrique
Jorrin, a Cuban Violinist created the first cha cha song in 1948. He named it after
the shuffling sound the dancers shoes made when they dance to this type of music.
In 1952, an English dance teacher Pierre Lavelle visited Cuba and saw dancers
dancing this triple step to slow rumba and mambo music. On his return to Britain,
he taught this as a separate dance and it has since evolved to Ballroom Cha Cha.
Cha Cha was introduced to the US in 1954 which replaced mambo as the latest
dance craze. After its introduction to the US, the traditional violins and flutes were
exchanged with big band instruments such as trumpets, trombones and
saxophones.
tango
Tango, the dance with the stop "Baille Con Carte", is one of the most
fascinating of all dances. Originating in Spain or Morocco, the Tango
was introduced to the New World by the Spanish settlers, eventually
coming back to Spain with Black and Creole influences.
In the early 19th Century, the Tango was a solo dance performed by
the woman. The Andalusian Tango was later done by one or two
couples walking together using castanets. The dance was soon
considered immoral with its flirting music!
Ballroom Tango originated in the lower class of Buenos Aires,
especially in the "Bario de las Ranas". Clothing was dictated by full
skirts for the woman and gauchos with high boots and spurs for the
man.
The story of Tango as told is that it started with the gauchos of
Argentina. They wore chaps that had hardened from the foam and
sweat of the horses body. Hence to gauchos walked with knees
flexed. They would go to the crowded night clubs and ask the local
girls to dance.
Since the gaucho hadn't showered, the lady would dance in the crook
of the man's right arm, holding her head back. Her right hand was held
low on his left hip, close to his pocket, looking for a payment for
dancing with him.
The man danced in a curving fashion because the floor was small with
round tables, so he danced around and between them.
The dance spread throughout Europe in the 1900's. Originally
popularized in New York in the winter of 1910 - 1911, Rudolph
Valentino then made the Tango a hit in 1921.
As time elapsed and the music became more subdued, the dance was
finally considered respectable even in Argentina.
Styles vary in Tango: Argentine, French, Gaucho and International.
Still, Tango has become one of our American 'Standards' regardless
of its origin. The Americanized version is a combination of the best
parts of each.
The principals involved are the same for any good dancing. First, the
dance must fit the music. Second, it must contain the basic
characteristic that sets it apart from other dances. Third, it must be
comfortable and pleasing to do.
Phrasing is an important part of Tango. Most Tango music phrased to
16 or 32 beats of music. Tango music is like a story. It contains
paragraphs (Major phrases); sentences (Minor phrases); and the
period at the end of the sentence is the Tango close.
For exhibition dancing, a Tango dancer must develop a strong
connection with the music, the dance and the audience. The audience
can only feel this connection if the performer feels and projects this
feeling. So it is when dancing for your own pleasure -- and your
partner's!
"The Tango is the easiest dance. If you make a mistake and get
tangled up, you just Tango on." (Al Pacino in "The Scent of a
Woman.")
Movies that featured Tango dancing include "The Scent of a Woman",
Madonna's "Evita" and "True Lies" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Quick Step
Beat: 4/4.
Temp: 50-52 measures per minute.
Count: "1 - 2 - 3 - 4" (or "slow - quick" in different variations).
Developed around 1923.
The Quickstep evolved in the 1920s from a combination of
the Foxtrot, Charleston, Shag,Peabody and One Step. This dance is English in origin
and was standardized in 1927. The Quickstep now is quite separate from the Foxtrot.
Unlike the modern Foxtrot, the man often closes his feet, and syncopated steps are
regular occurrences as was the case in early Foxtrot.
There was a debate as to why this dance became so popular in Britain. It has been
thought that the Quickstep was Brit's answer to keeping warm indoors during the winter.
In the twenties many bands played the slow-Foxtrot too fast. Eventually they developed
into two different dances. The slow-Foxtrot tempo was slowed down and Quickstep
became the fast version of the Foxtrot.
1925 began the Charleston fever, it had a lot of influence on the development of the
Quickstep. The English developed the Quickstep from the original Charleston as a
progressive dance without kicks and mixed in the fast Foxtrot. They called this dance
"the QuickTime Foxtrot and Charleston".
At the 'Star' Championships of 1927, the English couple Frank Ford and Molly Spain
danced a version of the QuickTime Foxtrot and Charleston without the characteristic
Charleston knee actions and made it a dance for two instead of a solo.
It has been in the group of the Standard dances since 1927.
By the end of the 20th century the speed of Quickstep as done by advanced dancers
has increased even more, due to the extensive use of steps with eighth note durations.
While in older times quickstep patterns were counted with "quick" (one beat) and "slow"
(two beats) steps, many advanced patterns today are cued with split beats, such as
"quick-and-quick-and-quick-quick-slow".
Main difference between Foxtrot and Quickstep is that in the second one the use of
sincopated steps is almost compulsory. In some figures the dance may also look like
English Waltz (danced in 3/4 time while the Foxtrot is done in 4/4).
Note that there was a 19th century Quickstep, which was a march-like dance and has
no relation to the modern ballroom step.
Competitions in America do not include the Quickstep but there are social groups who
dance it regularly in bars and clubs.
Apparently there are several levels of interpretation: a sparkling dance for youthful
dancers, a more refined nobility for middle-aged dancers, and a more reserved, choice
choreography for older dancers.
Rich with variations, the Quickstep is considered The Pocket Grammar of standard
dances. Main reasons for that are:
while the basic figures are quite simple, the tempo of the music and the whole
character of the dance seem to invite a carefree interpretation of its bright
rhythm;
it is a proven fact that the energy exerted while dancing a 60 second Quickstep is
equivalent to running a mile in record time;
experienced dancers' level of performing and interpretating the Foxtrot is often
considered impossable by beginners.
On a Standard competiton this dance is performed last - after the Foxtrot.
Boogie Dance, or Boogie-woogie is a form of swing dancing that was originally known
as “Barrelhouse” dancing. It is called boogie-woogie in Europe, but this dance is more
commonly known as East Coast swing in the United States. During the 1950s, today’s
boogie-woogie would have been known as “rock ‘n’ roll.” Although the dance can go
with boogie-woogie music, it’s more often paired with rock music. Because rock ‘n’ roll
dance was already established in dance competitions (Acrobatic Rock n’ Roll), boogie-
woogie had to find an alternate label. It adopted a name based on the music with which
it was often paired: fast-paced, boogie-woogie style piano. (Pinetop Smith writing the
first official Boogie Woogie song in 1928. However, there were main parts of the
music style as far back as 1900. It is the single most influential Boogie-Woogie
composition of all time, it was the first recorded piece to use the term “Boogie-Woogie”
in the title).
Boogie-Woogie dancing was a response to this new sound – but didn’t really evolve
until Rock ‘n’ Roll music came into existence in America and Europe in the 1950′s. It’s
popularity grew and grew as the fledgling Rock ‘n’ Roll stars such as Elvis and Jerry Lee
Lewis replaced the old Swing music on the radio and in nightclubs.
Boogie-woogie is commonly danced to a fast pace. It is famous for its fast and
spectacular footwork, high energy and also it’s freedom throughout the dance that
allows space for improvisation and free styling. The step variation for boogie dance is a
combination of six and eight count with sharp, quick movements. It often makes use of a
syncopated beat, which helps to create the constant footwork for which boogie is widely
recognised.
Boogie-woogie can be danced in social situations (mostly in Europe), or in competitions
(worldwide). As a competitive dance, boogie-woogie is a “lead” dance, without any
choreography but can contain acrobatic elements, although, not like in acrobatic Rock
‘n’ roll. There are various limitations of aerials in European countries, but by the strong
Lindy Hop influence, they cannot be completely removed from the dance. Most rules
suggest that the couples have to maintain some contact during the acrobatics, which
helps to avoid moves like double/triple flips, commonly seen in Acrobatic rock ‘n’ roll
(like the name suggests).
Boogie-woogie can be slow or fast. When fast beats are used, boogie-woogie often
moves into East Coast swing, Hollywood style and jitterbug. Many people confuse it
with the lindy hop, which it closely resembles. Although lindy hop has had a great
influence on boogie woogie, the two are not interchangeable. Another misconception is
that as a form of swing dancing, boogie-woogie must be fast paced. Boogie-woogie
dance and music can, however, be slow.
